Fugue Macabre: Bone Dance

by C. J. Parker

  As one, Verdun’s men surged forward and drew swords, simple kitchen knives and homemade daggers. A few guns were drawn from waistbands. Shots were fired into the Spirit Warriors, but they didn’t flinch. No blood flowed.

  A moment of pity floundered in Bobbie’s heart, but she realized she’d done all she could to stop this fight. She glanced up at the sky. The moon’s edge glowed a brighter hue of blue, the shadow growing smaller. Time was running out. “The Noom Revo Su is coming to an end. We can spare them no more time. Let the battle begin.”

  A hand came out of nowhere and shoved her behind the fighting line blocking her from the fight itself.

  “Do not bother with the Spirit Warriors. They are not real,” Verdun shouted and paced. “Kill the Outsiders. Kill the witch. She dies, the illusion will be destroyed along with her.”

  Twenty men raced toward Tabatha, screaming their rage as they advanced. Reaching striking range, they were blocked by a line of Warriors ten deep. Men swung blades only to have them swipe through their target and out the other side with no more than a dusting of ash covering their swords. The Warriors slapped them down with the backs of their hands as if they were no more than pesky mosquitoes. Verdun’s men crawled away, cowering under brush.

  Kangee ran to the front of the line and swung his sword at any who dared to confront him. Troy somersaulted over the heads of the Warriors, swinging his dagger across throats and into chests.

  Verdun managed to evade Bobbie’s sight long enough that she decided to search for him. A few moments later, he reappeared, dragging Omeda by the arm. Bobbie ran around the line of warriors until she was within hearing distance.

  “I can’t.” Omeda yanked her arm out of his grip. “There are too many of them. They will not let me near her.”

  “You say you want to be my special one. Prove it.” He pushed her away from his side. “Go in there and show them what a child of mine is capable of.”

  Omeda’s gaze met Bobbie’s then glanced around at the Warriors. She smiled. “Yes, Daddy.” Screaming like a banshee, Omeda grabbed Verdun’s sword and made her way toward Bobbie.

  Bobbie grasped the handles of her daggers and ran to meet her. She crossed her arms and swung outward, cutting Omeda across the chest and stomach. Omeda looked down at the bloody trails running down her torso then raised her sword, but was thrown off balance when Tabatha tackled her from the side. Omeda lost her grip on the hilt, and the sword landed a few feet away.

  “Agnes, get your fat ass out here and help me.” Omeda gained her footing and frantically searched for her weapon.

  Bobbie rushed forward hoping to gain the upper hand while her opponent was distracted. As Bobbie raised her hand to strike, Agnes ran toward her. Her face twisted with rage, her eyes wild. She swung nothing more than a heavy tree limb for a weapon.

  Bobbie rolled just as the limb crashed down on the spot where she’d been standing. She grasped Tabatha’s arm and yanked her back from Agnes’ next swing.

  “You will leave my family alone. I am Queen Moran now. I command you to die.” Agnes swung the limb as if it weighed no more than a twig. The harder Bobbie and Tabatha tried to get away, the more wildly she swung and cursed.

  From the corner of her eye, Bobbie saw Ionna run into the protected area of Spanish moss bales, and come out with a sword dragging the ground at her side. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

  Bobbie shook her head, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. The girl lifted the weapon with all the strength Bobbie thought she could muster to battle her way toward them.

  Tabatha pushed Bobbie down but the limb caught Bobbie on the jaw. Her head spun, and her sight blurred. When she looked up again, Agnes stood over Tabatha. Agnes lifted the limb into the air then swung it into a downward arc.

  The song of a blade slicing air rang over the din of battle followed by the howl of a wolverine. A silver blade came out of nowhere, blood shot into the air in a fountain-like spray, Agnes’ body slumped and her head rolled away.

  Bobbie followed the length of the sword to stare at the attacker. Ionna swung the blade over and over, chopping at her mother. “You’re not my momma no more.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “No, Ionna!” Bobbie heart ached. How could Ionna live with knowing she’d killed her own mother? No matter what Agnes had done, she was still Ionna’s mother and, sooner or later, it would hit Ionna like a ton of shit.

  Verdun fell to his knees and emitted a sound between a wounded animal and heartbroken man. “Kill that bitch. She murdered my woman. Kill her now!”

  Bobbie reached for Ionna’s hand to pull her away from Omeda’s aim, but the blade bit Ionna on the right side of her neck. She remained on her feet, not moving for several seconds. She rolled her eyes from left to right. “Momma?”

  Tabatha reached Ionna as her knees gave up their fight. Tabatha caught her in her arms, and held her close. “Don’t worry, honey, I’m right here. I’ll take care of you.”

  “It’s okay.” Ionna coughed, spitting up blood. “You’re my momma now. You love me. You’ll make it all right.”

  Tabatha covered the blood slick skin on the side of Ionna’s throat, closed her eyes and began a silent chant. The child’s eyes met Bobbie’s and she smiled, and then returned her focus to Tabatha. She raised her hand to touch Tabatha’s cheek. Squeezing her eyes together, Tabatha stopped chanting, distress of knowing what was happening etched deeply on her face.

  Ionna smiled up at her. “You love me, so it’s all right. That’s all I ever wanted.”

  The sounds of battle raged around her as Bobbie watched the last of life drain from the deep brown eyes as the child stared at her new mother. Ionna’s hand fell across her own chest.

  Tabatha’s scream started muffled, then grew to such proportions it nearly drowned out the battle cries of those falling. Derek took a step toward her, then another, and another, the fire of anger growing in his eyes.

  Omeda laughed and raised her sword high over Tabatha. Derek’s roar of rage grew louder as he lunged toward the woman, firing his gun over and over, hitting Omeda in the arm, side and leg. She staggered, regained her footing then lifted the sword once again.

  “No more, Omeda. You’re finished.” Bobbie shouted and dove for her legs, grasping with what little strength remained in Bobbie’s arms. The griffon swooped down grasping Omeda’s neck with its claws, taking flight as it tore Omeda’s head away.

  Omeda’s body dropped atop Bobbie, swinging her daggers upward but finding only empty space where Omeda’s head had been. After several seconds, Bobbie’s arms grew limp. Bobbie relaxed for only a moment when she heard Rhonda’s screams for help. She pushed Omeda off her and jumped into a dead run toward Rhonda’s screams.

  Stopping suddenly at the sight, Bobbie watched as the six men surrounded Rhonda, all with hair singed and jeans smoldering, they struggled to keep up with her attacks. Though oddly, none tried to harm Rhonda.

  “Bobbie Luckman, are you going to stand there or help me?”

  “Stop this!” Bobbie roared.

  From what seemed like exhaustion, the men crumpled to the ground, fatigue etching their faces. They flung their makeshift weapons away from them. One managed enough strength to speak. “Spare us. We will never harm you again.”

  “Run.” Bobbie’s voice shook from her anger. “Run away from me and Kangee. Never let me see your faces or hear your names again.” They crept to their feet, staggered to the tree line, falling several times.

  “Where is Troy going?” Rhonda dropped to her knees, gasping for air.

  Troy vanished into the woodland, moments later reappearing, dragging a man by the arm. The man looked up and Bobbie nearly dropped to her knees. The silence was so intense Bobbie cleared her throat to make sure she hadn’t been struck deaf.

  Police Lieutenant Mason scrubbed his bald head with his fists as he scoped out the carnage surrounding him. “I see you have this under control, Detectives. Good work.”

  Chapter Thirt
y-Seven

  Bobbie inspected the scene. The Spirit Warriors surged forward to chase the ones running away, but Troy stopped them with a raised hand.

  Cuda rushed out of the trees, but stopped abruptly. “Uncle Sagar, what are you doing here?”

  “Close your damned mouth, boy,” Mason shouted.

  “Uncle Sagar, is it?” Troy slapped Mason on the back of the head again. “What the hell are you up to, Mason?”

  Cuda searched the village, finally relaxing when Rhonda walked toward him.

  “Did you find them?” Bobbie inquired about her clan members.

  “Find who? Where the hell have you been, boy? I always knew you were a coward.” Mason stepped toward Cuda, fists clenched tightly.

  “I went to find Bobbie’s clan.” Cuda turned to Bobbie. “Everyone’s safe. The men guarding them are gone. The Moran clan will be here soon.” He looked around him again, tears filling his eyes. “Too late. I was too late.”

  “You cowardly bastard.” Mason started toward him again, but Troy held him back. “What have you done? Are you turning against me? Me, who raised you when no one else wanted you? Where will you go now? Who will have you?”

  “I would think you’d be proud of him, you son of a bitch.” Derek spat at his feet. “He stood up to you and for what he finally realized is the right thing.” Derek shook from head to toe. “All these years I looked on you as a friend. I respected you.” Derek faced Cuda. “Son, you can come live with Tabatha and me if you want.”

  Cuda stared at Derek, then turned cold eyes back to his uncle. “Who is Katherine, Uncle Sagar?”

  “My oldest sister, your mother,” Mason paused, “a whore.”

  Cuda reached with both arms for him, but Rhonda stepped in front of him. “Ask all of it. He’s baiting you. Do not rise to it. If you kill him, he wins and you’ll have no answers.”

  He brushed his lips over her forehead. Without looking at Mason. “And my father?”

  “One of them.” He sneered at the men surrounding them. “They cursed you. Why can’t you understand that?”

  “Who is cursed? Me? I’ve come to realize that you are the cursed one, Uncle. You have a heart full of hatred. So much hate it drove you to murder your own sister to keep her from the man she loved, the father of her baby.” Cuda settled his gaze on Rhonda. “I, at last, have discovered what love is, I’ve found people who accept me as I am.”

  Verdun stepped out of the forest, Hylton close behind him. “Found another one.”

  “Verdun, you coward. What did you do, slink off and hide while your men were being slaughtered?” Mason glared at the man, whose scowl never wavered. “Why did I ever get mixed up with you? This isn’t the way it was supposed to go. You were supposed to eliminate them.”

  Verdun sneered. “Then we would have eliminated you.” He leapt aside out of Hylton’s reach and drew a gun. “This is how I deal with traitors.” He aimed. Derek jumped in front of him, wrestling Verdun for the gun. A shot rang out. Derek fell. Verdun swung the gun wildly from one to the next.

  “No more.” Tabatha’s scream cut the air. “I’ve lost too much already.” She gently removed Ionna from her lap and stood. “You have taken the daughter of my heart. I will not let you take any more of my family.”

  Derek sat up. “I’m okay. Just a burn. Nothing serious.”

  Tabatha inched closer, her eyes burning with unbridled rage as she raised her hand, palm facing Verdun. The wind stirred lifting her silvery blond hair in a wild dancing crown around her head. “I-will-not-let-you.”

  Verdun’s body slowly rose off the ground, but he only sneered and raised the gun. “Watch me, bitch.”

  He was attacked from both sides. A white tiger ripped at the scarred skin on Verdun’s face. A snow leopard sliced him from throat to pelvis, splitting him open. His screams of anger filled the air.

  Gun in hand, Mason drew back the hammer and aimed it toward the brawl. Kangee shifted into the griffon and flung himself into the air, flying toward Mason, knocking him down.

  The gun discharged.

  The bullet ricocheted off a nearby tree and hit Kangee in the wing. He plummeted to the ground and shifted back to his human form.

  The tiger and snow leopard tore at Verdun, ignoring his gurgled screams and pleas for mercy. His innards lay strewn over his torso and onto the ground surrounding him. His face was gone. Blood covered everything, including the two shifters.

  “Enough!” Mason shouted. The tiger and leopard turned on him in blood lust and rage, but Mason dropped to his knees. “Enough.” His tone, weak with fatigue, came out no more than a hoarse whisper.

  Stephen was the first to shift back to human form. He reached down and pulled the snow leopard away. Moments later Lexie shifted, all but her wildcat eyes, and wiped the blood away from her mouth.

  “It is done.” Lexie growled, staring Mason in the eyes. “What do we do with this one?”

  Bobbie held her silence. Her heart wanted to see him torn apart like her uncle. So much loss, all caused by this man and his band of cutthroats. She closed her eyes not wanting to see the carnage. “Let him go. We need him.”

  “What?” Lexie shouted. “No!”

  Bobbie tasted Lexie’s bitter disappointment, but this was the right thing to do. “He will tell the others what happens when we are pushed too far. No more, Mason. This has got to end.”

  Mason shook his head wearily. “Even if I tell them, they will not stop until you are all extinct.”

  “If you can stop three or four, those are three or four who will live to see another day. We will not tolerate your genocide. We will fight back and you have witnessed that we are the stronger.” She fought the overwhelming urge to scream. “So what will it be, Mason? Do we let you leave here? Will you stop this hunt? Or will you continue this madness?”

  The gun dropped to the ground. “Derek and Troy,” he laughed, the sound holding no humor, “will report that I murdered these monsters, if for no other reason than to punish me for this debacle.” Mason gazed at Troy and Derek with defiance in his eyes. “But we’re not finished, Detectives.”

  Derek stood, holding his side where the bullet grazed him. “Get out of here, Mason. But don’t think you’re going to get away with this. We know where to find you. I’m giving you more a chance than you deserve. But, we will hunt you down if you run.”

  Bertha came down the stairway of Bobbie’s house and stood in front of Mason. She touched her fingertips to his neck. He screamed and pulled away, covering his neck with his hand.

  “What have you done?” He drew his hand away and on his neck was the tattoo of a rat in a maze.

  “You are marked for what you are. The rat is slowly dying. His life nearly finished.” Bertha leaned in and spit in his face. Her eyes flashed and her teeth bared as suddenly, her face morphed into a terrible mask of rage. “Run!”

  He jumped back in horror. “Cuda, come with me. You don’t belong here.”

  Cuda shook his head and turned away from him.

  Bertha, her face once again normal, spoke in a quiet calm voice. “I said, run.”

  Mason backed away, slowly at first, but soon broke into a run through the woods.

  Bobbie turned in a tight circle, her mind trying to take in the scene. She caught movement on the balcony of Aetheria’s tree house and looked up.

  Unshed tears built up as if they filled her whole body. “It’s over, Aetheria. I can’t fight anymore.” The moon broke free of its shadow and bathed them in its light, turning the ground black with the blood of her people whose souls cried out for their ceremony. Bobbie covered her ears and cried out, then dropped to her knees and begged God for mercy. “Stop the voices. There are too many.”

  Tabatha walked over, placed her hands on Bobbie’s head. “Hush! We will give you your ceremony. Give us time to gather our dead. Give us time to grieve.”

  She released Bobbie and returned to gather Ionna into her arms again. “Let us grieve.”

  Lexie’s father
moved to Tabatha’s side, and with a nod, the voices quieted.

  The silence may have returned, but the vision remained the same. Hylton walked from man to man, checking, and Bobbie knew, hoping. “This one is alive.” He looked toward Tabatha. “Please.”

  So many.

  How can Tabatha help so many?

  Lexie helped Hylton check for the living.

  Stephen piled the shifter dead near the ash pit and left the Outsiders alone.

  Derek gathered weapons, tossing them against the Spanish moss fortress.

  Troy brought water to chase away bloodstains from the injured and uninjured.

  Tabatha kissed Ionna on the forehead. “I love you, baby girl.”

  She allowed Stephen to take the small body of Ionna. Tabatha stood to help the wounded. Bobbie watched in frozen apathy. Tabatha moved to Derek first, then Kangee, moving from injured to injured. Soundless tears streamed from Tabatha’s eyes.

  Bobbie’s heart broke for her, for all of them. She leaned down, knees and hands on the ground and cried deep soul-shaking sobs. Ash and fire surrounded her. The shift took her, allowing no control over it.

  Bobbie closed her eyes. Tiny blade-like slices covered her body. Claws formed. Her shoulder blades pressed outward, growing, stretching. She opened her eyes and marveled at the sight of her outstretched arms—green, scaly, beautiful. Wings. Bobbie leapt skyward and soared, looking down at the earth below. The bodies radiated like ghosts in the night. The blood still glowed silky black in the moonlight.

  Bobbie soared higher. “How could you let this happen? Why have you done this to us?” she yelled, hoping God would answer her. But no answer came.

  Bobbie’s father and brother, her friends and loved ones stood below, watching her in her raging grief, their faces stoic. Bobbie refused to be their shame.

  Diving toward earth, Bobbie grabbed Verdun’s body from the ground and lifted him higher and higher, ripping him apart, one limb at a time. Bits and pieces were scattered and rained down on the village until there was no more to destroy. She dove again, spewing fire, burning every fragment of Verdun’s body she could find, turning him to cinder. Bobbie wanted no part of him to violate the sacred ash pit. He would be scattered to the wind, never to find a home.